Travel – Hikes – Road Trips

Why not visit the Karoo Garden at Worcester the next time you visit or drive through.

The Shale Trail is in the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden on the outskirts of Worcester.

The town of Worcester is about 120 km from Cape Town along the N1. Once you have reached Worcester and passed the Mountain Mill Shopping Centre, turn left at the set of traffic lights onto Roux Road. Stay on this road for 1,5 km. Admission fee is R22 per adult. Ask for a map at the gate. Bring along your own water, drinks and food for a picnic under the trees. There is no shop and the restaurant is closed until further notice. This is a bin free garden so please take your litter with you when you leave. The bathroom is near the offices and nursery.

The Shale Trail is in the natural part of the garden and is named after the dominant rock found here. The trail is about 1 km long and starts near the upper parking area in a circular route. It is an easy walk and when combined with pathways in the formal garden one can easily walk 1 – 3 km and spend 1 – 3 hours here.

This beautiful garden is the only truly succulent garden in the Southern Hemisphere and on the African Continent. It displays a wide variety of plants from the semi desert regions in Southern Africa. It is a must see for plant lovers! Some of the paths were made from the local shale and the pathways and different sections are clearly signposted.

The upper circle is the Shale Trail.

Best time to visit is Winter and Spring. Arrive early in the morning when visiting during Summer.